Writing in Layers Part 3: Thoughts

Click here to read part 1: https://successfulchristianselfpublishing.com/writing-in-layers-part-1/
Click here to read part 2: https://successfulchristianselfpublishing.com/writing-in-layers-part-2/

Now that my entire book has been written in just action and dialogue, it’s time to go in and layer in thoughts. What is the character thinking and how is it going to drive the scene?

Remember the few paragraphs I shared with you from my current work-in-progress last week?

Her head pounded.[Describe the waking up in a hard chair with her hands tied behind her and originally trying to shift to get more comfortable because her head hurt really bad]
When she realized her situation, she kept her eyes closed and try to assess anything that she could in her environment.[She heard movements] etc.
Adrenaline skittered through her system, making her hands tingle and sweat beaded on her upper lip. She could feel Jack move and tried to turn her hand to touch his palm. He stilled at her touch.

Let’s go in and add some thoughts.

Her head pounded. Nausea rolled in her stomach. Why did she feel so terrible? She tried to roll over, to get more comfortable, but couldn’t move her arms. What in the world? Some fog lifted and she realized she wasn’t in her bed. Instead, she sat on a hard chair.
In little flashes, she started to remember. Driving up to that house. Asking the who answered the door about Cisco. The flash of pain. Then…nothing.
When she realized her situation, she kept her eyes closed and try to assess anything that she could in her environment. [earthy smell, chilled not warm air, hard chair] A shuffling noise came from her left, the click of a switch a split second before a flood of heat. Behind her eyelids, she could see the bright light shining.
Footsteps. Low voices coming from her right.
Movement behind her, against her.
Adrenaline skittered through her system, making her hands tingle and sweat beaded on her upper lip. Then it occurred to her that her arms were tied to someone else. Jack? It must be Jack. [thanking God she isn’t alone] The ropes stretched as he struggled. She worked against the tight binding to turn her hand, pressing her palm against his. He stilled at her touch.

You can see the thoughts that I added in the different color. A couple of notes I want to remember when I set the scene and when I add feelings has been added in a brackets.

I told you last week about the notepad I keep to jot notes to remind myself about certain things. I might check the notepad now and make sure there wasn’t a thought or a situation or a life event she could pull into the scene I just finished.

I’ll now go through the entire book, from Chapter 1 to Chapter 30, and add in all of the thoughts. This is a little more methodical than the quick push of the action and dialogue.